KIT Career ServiceInternational Career ServiceFinding jobs in Germany
Briefly Explained
What do you need to bear in mind as an international student when looking for a job and applying for positions in Germany?
German employers welcome practical experience gained during your studies.
This is a great opportunity for you to improve your German language skills, establish contact with employers and build a professional network, as well as deepen your specialist knowledge.

We will give you tips on what you need to pay particular attention to.

Finding jobs
Job search in Germany
Practical experience during your studies—whether through internships or student jobs—is highly valued by employers and can help you later when starting your career in Germany.

In our job market, you will find numerous positions specifically for students and graduates of KIT. Practical filters, for example by language at the workplace or required German language level, help you find the right offers.

Go to our job market

There are several large job boards where you will mostly find job offers from (very) large companies. These companies are very popular and receive a large number of applications. To increase your chances, it is worth looking at smaller and medium-sized companies and being flexible in terms of location. You can find job offers from these companies on specialized job boards.

It is also worth researching which companies are active in the technology you want to work in and visiting the company's career page directly. Here are links to more specialized job boards:

Links to different Job markets

Find your way into professional life
Student Profile
Are you looking for an internship, a working student position, or your first job in Germany?
Your student profile makes you visible to companies that are specifically looking for KIT students.

The advantage for you: You will receive job offers that really suit you and be found by employers who value your international experience and skills. Even if your German is not yet perfect, you can show what you can do – securely and in compliance with data protection regulations via the KIT system.
Start your student profile

Finding companies
Company overview
Here you can find all companies currently collaborating with the KIT Career Service.

Using the filter functions and full-text search, you can specifically look for companies, degree programs, industries, or locations.
to the company overview

Finding companies
Jobshadowing
With Jobshadowing, you gain exclusive insights into a company’s daily work:
meet the team, explore the company culture, and discover which company suits you best.

The company also gets to know you, which can be helpful for future applications.
to the Jobshadowings

Finding companies
KIT- Career Fair
Every May, the area in front of the Audimax transforms into a job open-air with recruiting and professional staff from various industries.

For internationals, there are preparatory events beforehand, and the fair also offers special programs tailored for them.
to the KIT Career Fair

Tips
Applying for jobs in Germany
What may seem obvious to you is not always obvious to employers. Focus on your strengths and highlight the skills you bring as an international student in your application documents. Intercultural competence, language skills, flexibility, or international experience—all of these can represent real added value for the company.
Right at the beginning of your resume, mention that you have a work permit and to what extent you are allowed to work. It is worth taking a look at your residence permit here. In your cover letter, you should emphasize that you want to stay in Germany for the long term and how the position you are applying for will help you achieve this. And last but not least: let employers know how good your German language skills already are and that you are motivated to continuously improve them.

A complete application usually includes a cover letter , your resume/CV and attachments such as references. It is also common to include an application photo.

Tip: at our application photo shoots , you can get professional photos of yourself taken right on campus. Look at our event calender on the website for the appointments.

Weitere wertvolle Tipps rund ums Vorstellungsgespräch und zu Gehaltsverhandlungen findest du hier.

Definitions
Different types of jobs
Whether it's an internship, working student position, student assistant job, part-time job, trainee program, or direct career entry—every practical experience brings you closer to your career goal.

Find out what opportunities are available, how they differ, and what requirements you need to meet for each position.

This will help you find the right start to your studies and career in Germany.

Internship

Practical work carried out in an institution outside the university (e.g., in a company or research institution). A distinction is made between voluntary internships and compulsory internships. A compulsory internship is part of the curriculum, while a voluntary internship is additional and optional, complementing the course of study. As a rule, current enrollment is required for both types of internships.



Working student position

Practical work in a company that is carried out over a longer period of time (sometimes several years). Unlike an internship, the time commitment here is only a maximum of 20 hours per week, sometimes more during semester breaks. The work is usually related to the field of study or future job. The exact number of hours is specified in the job advertisement or is negotiated.


Student assistant (“Hiwi”)

Practical work at a university or research institution, also carried out for around 20 hours per week - comparable to a working student position. The exact number of hours is specified in the job advertisement or is negotiable. Part-time job/holiday job Practical work that is carried out for a few hours per week or only for a short period during the semester break (sometimes full-time). Often not directly related to the field of study, but rather simpler (temporary) work.


Career entry

Direct entry into a permanent or long-term fixed-term position after graduation. From the outset, you will take on a full-fledged position with fixed tasks and responsibilities..


Trainee programm

Structured career entry in which you spend 12-24 months working in different departments of a company. The aim of the program is to prepare you specifically for a future specialist or management position. Usually offered by large companies.

Good to know
Language in application documents and German language skills in the German job market
Application documents should generally be written in the same language as the job advertisement. In most cases, this is German. Sometimes companies are open to filling internships or working student positions in English. It is best to check with the company in advance whether it is possible to apply in English.

Very good or good German language skills are still important for a successful career start. Not all employees in companies speak English, especially in manufacturing and production and in small or medium-sized companies. Internal communication here is often in German.

Good to know
Helpful links to legal regulations and service centers
If you want to take up employment in Germany, you may need a work permit. Please contact the relevant authorities for more information.

Further information can be found here:

Here you will find further service centers in Karlsruhe and helpful websites: